Oven appliance

ABSTRACT

An oven appliance includes a slide assembly that couples a door to a cabinet such that the door is movable along a transverse direction relative to the cabinet. A support assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinet and a leveling leg threaded to the block. The block extends from the cabinet along the transverse direction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter relates generally to oven appliances, such asdouble oven range appliances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Double oven range appliances generally include upper and lower cookingchambers. A user of the double oven range appliances may convenientlyutilize either or both of the upper and lower cooking chambers to cookfood items. In certain double oven range appliance, the upper cookingchamber is smaller than the lower cooking chamber. Thus, the user mayutilize the upper cooking chamber to cook smaller food items and thelower cooking chamber to cook larger food items.

Double oven range appliances also generally include two doors, one forthe upper cooking chamber and another for the lower cooking chamber. Thedoors are generally rotatably mounted to a cabinet of the appliance withhinges. Thus, the user of the double oven range appliance may rotate thedoors open on the hinges in order to access the upper and lower cookingchambers.

Hinges have certain drawbacks that may be inconvenient or undesirable tousers. For example, removing food items from the upper cooking chambercan be difficult or awkward. In particular, the upper cooking chambermay be relatively small compared to the lower cooking chamber, andreaching into the upper cooking chamber to grasp and handle cookwaretherein can be difficult or awkward. In addition, monitoring the cookingof food items within the upper cooking chamber can be difficult due topoor visibility of the food items within the upper cooking chamber evenwhen the door to the upper cooking chamber is open.

Accordingly, an oven appliance with features for facilitating access tofood items within a cooking chamber of the oven appliance would beuseful. In addition, an oven appliance with features for facilitatingmonitoring of food items within a cooking chamber of the oven appliancewould be useful.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter provides an oven appliance. The ovenappliance includes a slide assembly that couples a door to a cabinetsuch that the door is movable along a transverse direction relative tothe cabinet. A support assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinetand a leveling leg threaded to the block. The block extends from thecabinet along the transverse direction. Additional aspects andadvantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the followingdescription, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learnedthrough practice of the invention.

In a first exemplary embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. The ovenappliance defines a lateral direction and a transverse direction. Thelateral direction and the transverse direction are perpendicular to eachother. The oven appliance includes a cabinet that defines a cookingchamber and an opening for accessing the cooking chamber of the cabinet.A heating element is positioned at the cooking chamber of the cabinet. Aslide assembly is mounted to the cabinet. A door is positioned adjacentthe opening of the cabinet. The slide assembly couples the door to thecabinet such that the door is movable along the transverse directionrelative to the cabinet. A support assembly is positioned at a bottomportion of the cabinet. The support assembly includes a block mounted tothe cabinet. A leveling leg is threaded to the block. At least a portionof the leveling leg is positioned directly below the door when the dooris positioned at the opening of the cabinet.

In a second exemplary embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. Theoven appliance defines a lateral direction and a transverse direction.The lateral direction and the transverse direction are perpendicular toeach other. The oven appliance includes a cabinet that defines a cookingchamber and an opening for accessing the cooking chamber of the cabinet.A heating element is positioned at the cooking chamber of the cabinet. Apair of slide assemblies is mounted to the cabinet. A door is positionedadjacent the opening of the cabinet. The slide assemblies of the pair ofslide assemblies couple the door to the cabinet such that the door ismovable along the transverse direction relative to the cabinet. Asupport assembly is positioned at a bottom portion of the cabinet. Thesupport assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinet and extendingfrom the cabinet along the transverse direction. A leveling leg threadedto the block.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including thebest mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is setforth in the specification, which makes reference to the appendedfigures.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 provide perspective views of an oven range applianceaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter witha door of the exemplary oven range appliance shown in various positionsand orientations.

FIG. 4 provides a partial, perspective view of the exemplary oven rangeappliance of FIG. 1 and a support assembly of the exemplary oven rangeappliance.

FIG. 5 provides a partial, bottom plan view of the exemplary oven rangeappliance of FIG. 1 and the support assembly of the exemplary oven rangeappliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention,one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Eachexample is provided by way of explanation of the invention, notlimitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be madein the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as partof one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a stillfurther embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present inventioncovers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 provide perspective views of an oven range appliance100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter.In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an upper door 121 of range appliance 100 is shownvarious positions and orientations, as discussed in greater detailbelow. As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, range appliance 100 defines avertical direction V, a lateral direction L and a transverse directionT. The vertical, lateral and transverse directions are mutuallyperpendicular and form an orthogonal direction system.

Range appliance 100 includes an insulated cabinet 110. Cabinet 110extends between a top portion 111 and a bottom portion 112, e.g., alongthe vertical direction V. Thus, top and bottom portions 111, 112 ofcabinet 110 are spaced apart from each other, e.g., along the verticaldirection V. Cabinet 110 also extends between a first side portion 113and a second side portion 114, e.g., along the lateral direction L.Thus, first and second side portions 113, 114 of cabinet 110 are spacedapart from each other, e.g., along the lateral direction L. Cabinet 110further extends between a front portion 115 and a back portion 116,e.g., along the transverse direction T. Thus, front and back portions115, 116 of cabinet 110 are spaced apart from each other, e.g., alongthe transverse direction T.

Range appliance 100 includes a cooktop 130 positioned at or adjacent topportion 111 of cabinet 110. Cooktop 130 includes various heatingelements 132, such as gas burners, electric resistance elements,induction elements, etc., that are configured for heating cookwarepositioned thereon. As may be seen in FIG. 1, cabinet 110 also definesan upper cooking chamber 120 and a lower cooking chamber 124. Thus,range appliance 100 is generally referred to as a double oven rangeappliance. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, rangeappliance 100 is provided by way of example only, and the presentsubject matter may be used in any suitable oven appliance, e.g., asingle oven range appliance, etc.

Upper cooking chamber 120 is positioned at or adjacent top portion 111of cabinet 110. Conversely, lower cooking chamber 124 is positioned ator adjacent bottom portion 112 of cabinet 110. Thus, upper and lowercooking chambers 120, 124 are spaced apart from each other along thevertical direction V. Upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 can haveany suitable size relative to each other. For example, as shown in FIG.1, upper cooking chamber 120 may be smaller than lower cooking chamber124.

Upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 are configured for receipt ofone or more food items to be cooked. Range appliance 100 includes anupper door 121 and a lower door 125 that are attached or coupled tocabinet 110, e.g., with slide assemblies and hinges as discussed ingreater detail below, in order to permit selective access to uppercooking chamber 120 and lower cooking chamber 124, respectively. Handles123, 127 are mounted to upper and lower doors 121, 125 to assist a userwith opening and closing doors 121, 125 in order to access cookingchambers 120, 124. As an example, a user can pull on handle 123 mountedto upper door 121 to open or close upper door 121 and access uppercooking chamber 120. Glass window panes 122, 126 provide for viewing thecontents of upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 when doors 121,125 are closed and also assist with insulating upper and lower cookingchambers 120, 124. Heating elements, such as electric resistance heatingelements, gas burners, microwave elements, etc., are positioned withinupper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 of cabinet 110 for heatingupper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124.

A control panel 140 of range appliance 100 is positioned at top portion111 and back portion 116 of cabinet 110. Control panel 140 includes userinputs 142. Control panel 140 provides selections for user manipulationof the operation of range appliance 100. For example, a user can touchcontrol panel 140 to trigger one of user inputs 142. In response to usermanipulation of user inputs 142, various components of the rangeappliance 100, such as the heating elements, can be operated.

As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, upper door 121 may be positioned andoriented in a variety of configurations and positions. For example, door121 is shown in a closed position and a vertical configuration inFIG. 1. As another example, upper door 121 is shown in the closedposition and a peak configuration in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, upper door 121is shown in an open position and the peak configuration. A user of rangeappliance 100 may adjust upper door 121 between the various positionsand configurations shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. For example, the user maygrasp handle 123 of upper door 121 and move upper door 121, e.g., alongthe transverse direction T, between the closed and open positions and/orpivot upper door 121, e.g., on an axis that is parallel to the lateraldirection L, between the vertical and peak configurations.

To permit movement of upper door 121, e.g., along the transversedirection T, range appliance 100 includes a pair of slide assemblies orslide rails 172 that slidably couple upper door 121 to cabinet 110.Slide assemblies 172 are mounted to cabinet 110 at or adjacent uppercooking chamber 120. Each slide assembly of slide assemblies 172 arepositioned at a respective one of the first and second side portions113, 114 of cabinet 110. Slide assemblies 172 may be mounted to anysuitable component of cabinet 110 and positioned at any suitablelocation on cabinet 110. For example, slide assemblies 172 may bemounted to cabinet 110 within upper cooking chamber 120. Thus, slideassemblies 172 may be positioned within upper cooking chamber 120, e.g.,when upper door 121 is in the closed position. As another example, slideassemblies 172 may be mounted to cabinet 110 outside of upper cookingchamber 120. Thus, slide elements 172 may be positioned such that slideelements 172 are shielded from upper cooking chamber 120 and, e.g., notexposed to heated air within or from upper cooking chamber 120 whenupper door 121 is in the closed position.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, cabinet 110 defines an opening 118 foraccessing upper cooking chamber 120 of cabinet 110. Upper door 121 ispositioned at or adjacent opening 118 of cabinet 110 when upper door 121is in the closed position. Conversely, upper door 121 is spaced apartfrom cabinet 110, e.g., opening 118 of cabinet 110, along the transversedirection T when upper door 121 is in the open position. For example,upper door 121 may move along the transverse direction T on slideassemblies 172 such that upper door 121 is spaced apart from opening 118of cabinet 110 by at least one foot along the transverse direction Twhen upper door 121 is in the open position.

As discussed above, upper door 121 is pivotable, e.g., about an axisthat is parallel to the lateral direction L, on hinges 182 that extendbetween upper door 121 and slide elements 172 between the vertical andpeak configurations. For example, upper door 121 may be pivotable by atleast thirty degrees, e.g., about an axis that is parallel to thelateral direction L, between the vertical and peak positions. As anotherexample, upper door 121 may be pivotable by at least sixty degrees,e.g., about an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction L, betweenthe vertical and peak positions. As yet another example, upper door 121may be pivotable by about ninety degrees, e.g., about an axis that isparallel to the lateral direction L, between the vertical and peakpositions.

When upper door 121 is in the closed position and the verticalconfiguration as shown in FIG. 1, upper door 121 seals or closes uppercooking chamber 120. Thus, such position and orientation of upper door121 may be used when cooking food items within upper cooking chamber120. If a user wants to check on the food items, the user may pivotupper door 121 to the peak position in order to allow the user to viewand observe the food items within upper cooking chamber 120. Thus, whenupper door 121 is in the closed position and the peak configuration asshown in FIG. 2, upper door 121 may be positioned and oriented to allowthe user to view food items within upper cooking chamber 120 withoutremoving the food items from upper cooking chamber 120. Upper door 121is also pivotable between the vertical and peak configurations whenupper door 121 is in the open position.

Range appliance 100 also includes a rack assembly 180 that includesfeatures for supporting food items thereon. Rack assembly 180 isslidably coupled to cabinet 110, e.g., with slide assemblies 172, suchthat rack assembly 180 moves with upper door 121 along the transversedirection T. Thus, food items on rack assembly 180 may be, e.g., atleast partially, removed from upper cooking chamber 120 by shifting doorfrom the closed position to the open position. In particular, with fooditems cooking within upper cooking chamber 120, a user of rangeappliance 100 may avoid having to reach into upper cooking chamber 120in order to grasp or handle the food items located therein by graspinghandle 123 of upper door 121 and shifting upper door 121 to the openposition such that rack assembly 180 slides out of upper cooking chamber120. Similarly, if the user wants to check on the food items, the usermay move upper door 121 to the open position in order to remove the fooditems from upper cooking chamber 120 and allow the user to view andobserve the food items outside of upper cooking chamber 120.

Turning back to FIG. 1, range appliance 100 also includes a supportassembly 200. Support assembly 200 is positioned at or adjacent bottomportion 112 and front portion 115 of cabinet 110. Although not shown inFIG. 1, an additional support assembly 200 may also be provided atsecond side portion 114 of cabinet 110. Support assembly 200 includesfeatures that extend between cabinet 110 and a floor beneath rangeappliance 100 in order to support range appliance 100 on the floor.Support assembly 200 also includes features for leveling range appliance100, as discussed in greater detail below.

FIG. 4 provides a partial, perspective view of range appliance 100 andsupport assembly 200. FIG. 5 provides a partial, bottom plan view ofrange appliance 100 and support assembly 200. As may be seen in FIG. 4,support assembly 200 includes a block 210 and a leveling leg 220. Block210 is mounted to cabinet 110. In particular, block 210 is mounted tocabinet 110 such that block 210 extends from cabinet 110 along thetransverse direction T and a distal end portion 212 of block 210 iscantilevered from cabinet 110.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, cabinet 110 includes a bottom panel 190, e.g.,that faces the floor below range appliance 100. Bottom panel 190 ispositioned at bottom portion 112 of cabinet 110. Bottom panel 190 alsoincludes a front edge 192. Front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 ispositioned at or adjacent front portion 115 of cabinet 110 and extendbetween first and second side portions 113, 114 of cabinet 110 at frontportion 115 of cabinet 110. Block 210 is positioned at and/or mounted tobottom panel 190 such that block 210 extends past front edge 192 ofbottom panel 190, e.g., along the transverse direction T. Block 210 mayextend past front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 by any suitable amount ordistance. For example, block 210 may extend from cabinet 110 past frontedge 192 of bottom panel 190 by at least half an inch along thetransverse direction T. Thus, a tip of block 210 may be spaced apartfrom front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 by at least half an inch alongthe transverse direction T.

As may be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, block 210 is partially disposed withina pocket 194 defined by cabinet 110, e.g., bottom panel 190 of cabinet110. A fastener 196, such as a screw, rivet, bolt or nail, may extendthrough cabinet 110 into block 210, e.g., at pocket 194 of cabinet 110,in order to mount block 210 to cabinet 110. In alternative exemplaryembodiments, block 210 may be adhered, welded or otherwise suitablefastened to cabinet 110 at bottom portion 112 of cabinet 110 in order tomount block 210 to cabinet 110.

Leveling leg 220 is threaded to block 210, e.g., at or adjacent distalend portion 212 of block 210. In particular, leveling leg 220 includes athreaded post 222 received within a threaded opening 214 defined byblock 210. Leveling leg 220 also includes a foot 224 positioned at adistal end of threaded post 222. Foot 224 is configured for resting ofthe floor beneath range appliance 100. A distance between cabinet 110and foot 224 of leveling leg 220 is selectively adjustable by rotatingthreaded post 222 relative to block 210, e.g., such that a thread ofthreaded post 222 rotates relative to a thread of block 210. Rangeappliance 100 may be leveled by rotating threaded post 222 and suitablypositioning foot 224 relative to cabinet 110, as will be understood bythose skilled in the art.

As may be seen in FIG. 5, at least a portion of leveling leg 220, suchas the threaded post 222 and/or the foot 224, is positioned directlybelow a door, such as upper door 121 and/or lower door 125, of rangeappliance 100 when the door is closed. For example, at least a portionof leveling leg 220 may be positioned directly below upper door 121,e.g., along the vertical direction V, when upper door 121 is positionedat opening 118 of cabinet 110 and in the vertical position. As anotherexample, at least a portion of leveling leg 220 may be positioneddirectly below lower door 125, e.g., along the vertical direction V,when lower door 125 is closed. Thus, as may be seen in FIG. 5, at leasta portion of the foot 224 of leveling leg 220 is not positioned directlybelow cabinet 110, e.g., along the vertical direction V.

By extending block 210 past cabinet 112 and positioning at least aportion of leveling leg 220 below a door of range appliance 100, abalance of range appliance 100 may be improved. In particular, suchpositioning of support assembly 200 may require more force to tip rangeappliance 100 compared to leveling legs that are positioned fully underbottom panel 192 of cabinet 110. In such a manner, range appliance 100may be more difficult and/or require more force to tip over when upperdoor 121 is in the open position (FIG. 3).

Block 210 and leveling leg 220 of support assembly 200 may be made ofany suitable material. For example, block 210 and leveling leg 220 ofsupport assembly 200 may each be made from or with a separate piece ofmolded plastic or cast metal.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the invention, including making and using any devices orsystems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope ofthe invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examplesthat occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intendedto be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elementsthat do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if theyinclude equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differencesfrom the literal languages of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An oven appliance defining a lateral directionand a transverse direction, the lateral direction and the transversedirection being perpendicular, the oven appliance comprising: a cabinetdefining a cooking chamber and an opening for accessing the cookingchamber of the cabinet; a heating element positioned at the cookingchamber of the cabinet; a slide assembly mounted to the cabinet; a doorpositioned adjacent the opening of the cabinet, the slide assemblycoupling the door to the cabinet such that the door is movable along thetransverse direction relative to the cabinet; and a support assemblypositioned at a bottom portion of the cabinet, the support assemblycomprising a block mounted to the cabinet; and a leveling leg threadedto the block, at least a portion of the leveling leg positioned directlybelow the door when the door is positioned at the opening of thecabinet.
 2. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet comprisesa bottom panel positioned at the bottom portion of the cabinet, theblock mounted to the bottom panel of the cabinet such that the blockextends past a front edge of the bottom panel along the transversedirection.
 3. The oven appliance of claim 2, wherein the block extendspast the front edge of the bottom panel by at least half an inch alongthe transverse direction.
 4. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein theblock is partially disposed within a pocket defined by the cabinet. 5.The oven appliance of claim 1, further comprising a fastener thatextends through the cabinet into the block in order to mount the blockto the cabinet.
 6. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the block isadhered, welded or fastened to the cabinet at the bottom portion of thecabinet in order to mount the block to the cabinet.
 7. The ovenappliance of claim 1, wherein the door is a top door, the oven appliancefurther comprising a bottom door rotatably mounted to the cabinetadjacent the bottom portion of the cabinet, the bottom door positionedbelow the top door.
 8. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein at least aportion of the leveling leg is positioned directly below of the bottomdoor when the bottom door is closed.
 9. The oven appliance of claim 1,wherein the leveling leg includes a foot positioned at a distal end ofthe leveling leg, a distance between the cabinet and the foot of theleveling leg being selectively adjustable by rotating the leveling legrelative to the block.
 10. The oven appliance of claim 9, wherein atleast a portion of a foot of the leveling leg is not positioned directlybelow the cabinet.
 11. An oven appliance defining a lateral directionand a transverse direction, the lateral direction and the transversedirection being perpendicular, the oven appliance comprising: a cabinetdefining a cooking chamber and an opening for accessing the cookingchamber of the cabinet; a heating element positioned at the cookingchamber of the cabinet; a pair of slide assemblies mounted to thecabinet; a door positioned adjacent the opening of the cabinet, theslide assemblies of the pair of slide assemblies coupling the door tothe cabinet such that the door is movable along the transverse directionrelative to the cabinet; and a support assembly positioned at a bottomportion of the cabinet, the support assembly comprising a block mountedto the cabinet and extending from the cabinet along the transversedirection; and a leveling leg threaded to the block.
 12. The ovenappliance of claim 11, wherein the cabinet comprises a bottom panelpositioned at the bottom portion of the cabinet, the block mounted tothe bottom panel of the cabinet such that the block extends past a frontedge of the bottom panel along the transverse direction.
 13. The ovenappliance of claim 12, wherein the block extends past the front edge ofthe bottom panel by at least half an inch along the transversedirection.
 14. The oven appliance of claim 11, wherein the block ispartially disposed within a pocket defined by the cabinet.
 15. The ovenappliance of claim 11, further comprising a fastener that extendsthrough the cabinet into the block in order to mount the block to thecabinet.
 16. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the block isadhered, welded or fastened to the cabinet at the bottom portion of thecabinet in order to mount the block to the cabinet.
 17. The ovenappliance of claim 11, wherein the block extends past the cabinet suchthat at least a portion of the leveling leg is positioned directly belowof the door when the door is positioned at the opening of the cabinet.18. The oven appliance of claim 11, wherein the leveling leg includes afoot positioned at a distal end of the leveling leg, a distance betweenthe cabinet and the foot of the leveling leg being selectivelyadjustable by rotating the leveling leg relative to the block.
 19. Theoven appliance of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of a foot of theleveling leg is not positioned directly below the cabinet.